Who’s in the lead for Juan Soto? Would the Angels really deal Shohei Ohtani? All the latest MLB trade deadline intel

It’s a fluid time of year. Take the column I wrote on Wednesday for the first edition of Thursday’s paper urging general manager Brian Cashman to be bold in offering his prospects to upgrade the Yankees. Not long before the second edition deadline, word broke that the Yankees were trading three prospects to land Royals outfielder Andrew Benintendi.

Thus, quick surgery was needed on a column that was just a few hours old. It wasn’t the first time. It will not be the last time. But it is a reminder about trade season. A win or a loss (certainly a winning streak or a losing streak) in these days changes focus and intention. So does an impetuous owner’s reaction. So does injury. And, of course, so do two teams who previously had been dancing around each other both saying yes suddenly to a proposal.

So understand that when I offer thoughts on where things are as the trade deadline nears, I am trying to hit a moving target. Still, why don’t we expand 3Up and try to do the best with the moving target as possible by addressing the most pertinent issues as we head toward Tuesday at 6 p.m.:

1. Juan Soto. It’s hard to find anyone who thinks the Nationals will not trade him before the Tuesday deadline. And the consensus forming was that the Padres were the front-runners. Teams such as the Cardinals and Mariners also have the pieces to form a trade, as do a few others — count the Dodgers out of something big, for example, at your own peril.